Lapping mechanism



" Oct. 4, 1932. H. BLouNr 1,880,729

LAPPING MECHANESMv Filed April 28,1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /A/Vf/V TUR y H. BL. ou/vr Arme/VU Ot. 4, 1932. H BLQUNT 1,880,729 I LAPPING MECHANI SM Filed April 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y gol ya) W V4 a7 L/2 Patented Oct. 4, 1.932

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY BLOUN T, OF OAX PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR T Y INCORPORATED, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW LAPPING MECHANISM Application filed April 28,

This invention relates to a lapping mechanism and more particularly to a mechanism for lapping a plurality of bodies, such as diamond dies.

An object of the invention is the provlsion of a compact and eflicientmechanism for lapping a body.

One embodiment of the invention contemplates the provision, in a die lapping mechanism, of a stationary frame which supports a normally stationary turret body. A plurality of die lapping units are disposed at spaced points in the periphery of the turret body and are driven through individual friction pinions from a common driven frictlon plate. Each lapping unit consists of alpair of tensioned pulleys drivenk from the pinion and carrying an endless wire-lap which passes axially through a rotating dieholder which is also driven from the friction pinlon. The die holders are slotted to permit insertion of the wire-lap, and are adjustable to permit varying of the angle of address of the wire-lap to the die holder. j

A better understanding ofthe invention will be had from the following detailed description, read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of a multiple unit die lapping machine;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing two oppositel v disposed units;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the die holder assembly of a typical unit; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2j.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar parts are indicated b v identical reference numerals, a frame 10 (Fig. 2) supports a multiple unit lapping machine, generally designated by the numeral 11, which consists of a stationary base 12 and a normally stationary turret body 14. The base isjprovided with a. centrally disposed sleeve 16 in which is rotatably journalled a drive shaft 17 actuated from a motor of any suitable type 18. A circular drive plate 19 is keyed to the uppervend of the shaft for driving a plurality 1930. Serial No. 447,884.

0' WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY YORK .of lapping units 20, eight such being shown in the present embodiment (Fig.

1). The

ing pins 27-27. tends through the An elongated shaft 28 eX- barrel and at the innermost end thereof is provided with a friction pinion 30 keyed thereto, vkeyed to the opposite end of apertured bracket 32 is fitted lwhile a bevelled gear 31 is the shaft. An overthe outermost end .of the barrel 24 and may be secured at any desired position thereon by meansof the threaded set-screw 34, which extends through the bracket to engage` the barrel. The bracket 32 is provided with a projecting plate portion 35 having an aperture 36 which is lined withany suitable bearing metal 38.

A hollow ring gear 39 is rotatably seated in the aperture 36 and is provided with a plurality of peripherally disposed teeth 40 and with an internal shoulder 42.

A die holder or cup .43 is seated within the ring gear and upon the shoulder 42 and comprises a wall 44 and a bottom 46, the latter being provided with a centrally disposed aperture 47.

The flat portion hollow ring gear 39 each provided with is, 4s (Fig. 4.).

35 of the bracket 32, the and the die holder 43'are radially extending slots lIt will be understood that the ring gear and the die holder are rotatable at times with respect to the bracket and each other, align the slots 48, 48 in but are capable of being adjusted vto order that a loopv or endless wire-lap 50 bearing a diamond die 51 (Fig. s)

may be passed therethrough toward and-from the center of the die holder.

The

diamond 52 of the die having been previously drilled to a suitable bore, the die may thus vbe introduced into the die holder,

the bore of the diamond being positioned directly over the aperture 47 ofthe die holder, positelyv disposed adjusting threaded into the wall 44 of whereupon opscrews -55-55. i

the die' holder,

` bracket is provided with oppositely'disposed A.within the s adjustable pivot pins 58-58, upon which are mounted a normally horizontally disposed barrel 59. A shaft 60 extends longitudinally of the barrel and is provided upon the innermost end with a friction pinion 62 pinned thereto, and upon its outer end with a pulley A vertically extending `aperture 64 (Fig. 4) is provided in the upper portion of the turret body wall andis fitted with a sleeve 66 upon a projecting end of which is provided an ear 67. A barrel 68 is secured within the ear and accommodates a horizont-ally disposed idler shaft 70 extending therethrough, upon the outer end of which is secured a pulley 71. The upper end of the sleeve 66 is covered by means of `an apertured ledge 72 which is apertured to receive a shaft 74 which extends downwardly through the sleeve, a lower threaded portion 75 of the shaft engaging the turret wall 22. A collar 76 is pinned to the shaft 74 immediately above the threaded portion 75 thereof and comprises means whereby a coil spring 78 surrounding the shaft 74 and eeve 66 is compressed against the ledge 72. At its upper extremity the shaft 74 has secured thereto a knurled adjusting knob 79, by turning which the length of the shaft pro'ecting above the casting 22 may be varied as t e length of the wire-lap 50 is varied.

The friction plate 19 (Flg. 2) is provided upon its upper surface with an annular raised rojection or bead 8O which constitutes a bearing surface for contact with the friction pulleys 30, 30 of the eight die holder assemblies. On its lower side, and at the periphery thereof, the late is provided with a second bearing sur ace 82 which is engaged by and constitutes means forl driving the pulleys 62, 62 of the various wire-lap rotating mechanisms previously described.

At each unit the turret body wall is pror vided with an aperture 83 (Fig. 2) which accommodates a compression spring 84, the force4 of which, exerted downwardly upon the barrel of the die holder assembly, causes the friction roller 30 to be continually in operative engagement with the bearing surface 8O of the friction drive plate. The base of the turret wall at each unit is apertured at 86 to accommodate a spring 87, the

the underside of the barrel 59 to insure operative engagement of the friction pinion 62 with the peripheral bearing surface 82 of the drive plate. At suitable intervals therearound, the turret body wall is provided with are covered by a circular guard upward force of which is effective against apertures 88, each of which accommodates a relatively stiff compression spring 90 by means of which a ball 91 is maintained at the pit of a socket 0r recess 92 formed in the upper surface of the stationary base 12 of the machine.

In order to reduce possibility/of injury through accident or negligence of the operator, the driving portions of the apparatus p ate 93 (Fig. 2) which is suitably. secured to the upper surface of the wall 22 by any suitable means (not shown); and a formed guard plate 95 (Fig. 3), apertured to receive-the rin'g gear 39 is. fitted over each die holder assembly and clamped thereon by means of suitable screws or bolts 96. For convenience, the plates 95 and bolts 96 are shown only in Fig. 3.

The wire-lap 50 is formed of a single length of wire, which is threaded through the drilled aperture of the die to be lapped and the ends of the wire are "brazed and joined together to form an endless loop of wire, after which a coating of dia-mond dust or other suitable abrasive material `is imparted to the wire. In'setting up the machine, the formed guard plates 95, 95 having previously been removed from the die holder assemblies, an opera-tor stationed at any desired point about the turret selects the nearest unit and rotates the ring gear and die holder until the slots 48 of those elements are radially aligned with the slot 48 of the supporting bracket 32. The die bearing strand of the looped wire-lap is then passe through the slots to the center of the die holder and centered on the bottom of the die holder, being braced in such position by adjustment of the set-screws 55-55. In order to promote the efficiency of the wire-la a small quantity of moistened diamond. ust or other suitable abrasive (not shown) is placed in the upper side of the die surrounding the wire-lap.

In order that the die may be lapped in any desirable manner as determined by practice in the art, the bracket 32 may be tilted with respect to the sleeve 24 in order to vary the axis of the die in anydesired degree from the normal vertical path of the wire-lap. When this adjustment has been made to the proper angle, the bracket is secured in such position by tightening-the set-screw 34. Pressure is then 'applied to the ledge 72 to depress the sleeve against the tension of the spring 78 vthat by such an apparatus as with reference to the wall 22. The s ame tension is maintainedin wire-laps of varying lengths, for the distance between the ledge 72 and the collar 76 remains the same, and and the spring 7 8'is neither compressed nor permitted to expand by varying the exposed length of the shaft 74.

The operator manually rotates the turret, apply in suflicient pressure to the right or left as esired to force the ball 91 from its immediate socket 92 against thepressure of the spring 90 until the ball finds the next socket 92, at which point the ball is forced by the spring into the socket and the turret 1s again held stationary while the second unit,

having erator repeated until all or as many of the units as desired are set u Then the motor 18 is started and thefrlction plate 19 driven from the shaft 17 is rotated to drive the friction pinions and 62 and shafts 28 and 60, respectively. By this means the Wire-lap 50 is carried over the idler'pulley 71 and downwardly through the die by the rotating drive pulley 63 at a high speed, and the die is rotated about the Wire-lap as an axis by means of the ring gear 39 driven from the I31 and the shaft 28.V It will be readily seen many units may be operated simultaneously from the common driving plate as a skilled operator is capable of supervising. The operations may be continued until all of the dies have been properly lapped .or until the operator desires to inspect or remove one of the dies from the machine. This may be readily accomplished by rotating the turret until the unit desired is in front of the operator, Whereupon the ledge 72 of that unit may be de pressed, thus removing the tension in the wire lap 50. The barrel 24 may then be tilted against the pressure of the spring 84 to rebeen thus brought in front of the opmove the friction roller 30 from engagement with the plate 19, thus stopping the rotation of the die holder. The operator then rotates the die holder 43 and the ring gear 39 until their slots 48 coincide with the slot 48 in the fiat portion of the bracket whereupon the Wire-lap 50 may be slipped therethrough and removed from the drive pulley 63. The die may then be removed from the die holder by loosening the set-screws -55. The die upon being removed therefrom may be duly inspected and returned to the machine in the manner described above, or the wire-lap may be broken and the die removed therefrom if desired.

Since the turret body 14 is maintained normally stationary by the ball and socket connection during the driving of various units, the operation of the machine with reference to the remaining units is not interfered with while a single unit is being adjusted or reloaded; and, due to its turret-like design, pers station, is set up. The `process is then t rotating the member fect control over the entire machine and its various units is readily exercised by the operator` from one station. i

Although the embodiment described above is particularly adapted to the lapping of diamond dies, yet it`is obvious that the apparatus is susceptible of numerous modifications dictated by conditions not considered above and thatthe invention should therefore not be limited other than by the scope of the appended claims. j What is claimed is:

1. In a die lapping machine,arotatable ring gear havinga slot and a die `holder carried rotatably thereby having a slot, the gear and the holder being relatively adjustable to permit the slots to assume a tive juxtaposition.

2. In a dieilapping machine, endless belt lapping means, a ring gear having a slot, a die holder carried thereby for coaction with the lapping means and having a slot, and a slotted bracket for carrying the ring gear, the gear and holder being adjustable to pernllit the lapping means to pass through the s ots.

3. In a die lapping machine, a rotatable member a plurality of endless belt lapping means; a plurality of die holders tion with the endless means each comprising a supporting member, a head rotatably adjustably mounted thereon, a drive'shaft journaled in the supporting member and engaging the rotatable member, a ringgear rotatably mounted in the head and adapted to receive a die, and a gear1 mounted on the shaft and meshinvr with the ring gear in all adjusted positions of the latter; and means for actuating the member to drive the several' drive shafts of the plurality of die holders.

4. In a die lapping machine, a base having an annular Wall and a series of spaced apertures in the Wall, a member rotatably mounted in the base, a drive shaft provided With a pulley and adjustably mounted in each aperture radially of the Wall to engage the member, a second series of spaced apertures in the Wall, a die holder mounted in each aperture of the second series and adjustable radially of the Wall, a series of spaced idler shafts each carrying an idlerpulley mounted on the Wall and adjustable radially thereof, a series of sets of endless belt lapplng means each driven by the pulley of one drive shaft and passing through one die holder and over the pulley of one idler sha-ft, and means for to actuate the plurality of drive shafts.

. 5. In a die lapping machine, an annular base, a member rotatably mounted thereon, a series of lapping units located at spaced intervals on the base and each provided lwith a lappingmeans drive shaft and a die holder drive shaft, the 4said drive shafts engaging the member; and a main, drive shaft located predetermined relafor coacplurality rotate the die holders and to drive the con- `necting means for rendering effective the endless means.

v 7, In a die lappinffmachine, a turret having a base, a rotatable member journalled in 'I the base, a plurality of rotatablework holdfone series of apertures t plate,

ing units each having a central aperture and mounted on the turret to engage the rotatable member, endless abrading means passing through the aperture to contact the work fastened in the holding units at one point, means vmounted on the turret for operatively connecting the rotatable member and the endless means, and means actuating the member to rotate the Work holding units and to drive the connecting means for operating the endless means.

8. In a die lapping machine, an annular member having two series of apertures, a plate rotatably associated with the member, a plurality of work holding units mounted in and engaging the an endless abrading belt contacting the work secured in the holdmg units at a single oint, means operatively connecting the endess belt and the plate and mounted in the second series of. the apertures, and means for actuating the plate to rotate the Work holding `units and to drive the connecting means for operating the endless belt.

9. In a die lapping machine, an annular support having a plurality of apertures formed in the periphery thereof, a member rotatably connected with a support, a plurality of work holding units mounted in the apertures and engaging the member, abrasive means cooperating with the Work holding units, and means tor actuating the member to rotate the units.

10. In a die lapping machine, a support, a rotatable plate associated'with the support, a die holder connected With the plate and comprising a member adjustably attached to the support, a head rotatably mounted thereon, a die shaft journalled in the member, a ring gear mounted adapted to receive a die and a gear mounted on the shaft and meshing with the ring gear in all the adjusted positions of the latter, endless belt lapping means cooperating With the die holder, means engaging the endless means and operatively connected with the plate, and means for actuating the plate to rotate the die holders and to drive theiconnecting means for rendering efective'the endless lapping means. 11.111 a die lapping machine, a rotatable plate, a die holder assembly comprising a horizontal tubular member, a shaft rotatably mounted therein and having one end engaging the plate, a gear allixed to an opposite end ot the shaft,a bracket having an apertured portion and carried rotatably on an end of the tubular member, a ring gear positioned in the apertured portion and engaging the gear in all of the adjusted positions of the ring gear, a die holderl secured in the ring gear, means for fastening the bracket in its various positions; and means for rotating the plate to drive the shaft for actuating the ring ear. y g In witness whereof, `I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of April, A. D.,1930.

. Y HARRY BLOUNT.

yrotatably in the head and 

